The travel industry of today is a stark contrast to when two-week annual family vacations were flavor of the month. Shaped and influenced by why, how and where people travel, the industry continues to evolve as flexibility in the work force, an influx of budget airlines and wider promotion of new travel regions define travel for the 21st century travel.
According to various insights from travel giants Intrepid Travel and Booking.com, these are a handful of travel trends in store for 2019.
Escaping Over-Tourism
Many factors contribute to the popularity of a travel destination – media coverage, Instagram posts and more choice of flight routes to specific countries. As major cities continue to overflow with tourists, more travelers are choosing to fly elsewhere and escape the crowds. Countries including Hungary, Israel and the Republic of Moldova are experiencing continual rapid growth in visitor numbers as travelers turn their attention to new regions on the map.
[ngg src=”galleries” ids=”7″ display=”basic_thumbnail”]More Remote Destinations
Travelers are seeking to explore unchartered territory in search of peace and respite from modern day interruptions. These ‘off the tourist path’ voyages are fuelled by a need to escape from technology and daily disturbances in order to connect with new surroundings and discover untapped destinations where others have yet to venture.Rise in Middle Eastern Travel
In the last year, Intrepid Travel has experienced around a 120 percent increase in bookings from the US to Middle Eastern destinations, including Egypt, Jordan and Israel. As resilience to media bias builds, the lure of culture, religious significance and world heritage sites prevails over the fear of visiting territories once deemed too dangerous for travel.
Bubble Tents
Bubble tents are earning more than ‘fad’ status as tourists opt for more innovative accommodation options. Blurring the lines of glamping and a hotel, the decked out transparent bubble rooms allow guests to better capture views of their surroundings by day, and the twinkle of stars by night. These new-age bubbles can be found in destinations across the globe, including Iceland, Spain, Mauritius, the Maldives and the UK.
[ngg src=”galleries” ids=”8″ display=”basic_thumbnail” template=”default”]Micro travel
Less is more with micro trend, a trend which will see people traveling more frequently but for shorter time frames. Weekend breaks and overnight stays are set to rise as travelers maximize their downtime and take advantage of improvements in airline routes, cheaper tickets, improved worldwide transportation and a wider selection of unique accommodation options on the market. This has resulted in the redefining of ‘off-peak travel’ as year-round city breaks and vacations become the new norm.
Travel with Purpose
In a survey of 21,500 travelers from 29 countries, conducted by Booking.com, over 50 percent of people intend to travel to third world countries to help citizens through volunteer missions and international projects. A desire to learn new life skills will also see more people partaking in cultural exchanges as a way to combine travel and learning.
A Journey of the Taste Buds
Authentic culinary tourism, a popular trend of 2018, has seen more locals opening their doors to visitors, who share a heightened appreciation for international tastes and flavors. Demand for hands-on cooking demonstrations and lessons in local cuisine has increased, and food and spice markets around the globe have become the chicest spots to sample local eats. Also, culinary tours will continue to capture the interest of travelers around the world.
